My Alpha's Weakness

~ Lina's POV ~

“Please, Mr. Watson, just one more week. I swear I’ll have the rent this time. I’ve got extra shifts lined up at the diner and...”

“Save it, Lina.”

Mr. Watson stood in the doorway of my tiny apartment like a wall I couldn’t push past.

His arms were folded across his chest with his face as hard as stone. Behind him, his two sons were already grabbing my boxes like they couldn’t wait to get this over with.

“I’ve heard this story from you too many times, girl,” he continued, shaking his head. “Always ‘next week,’ always ‘I promise.’ I got bills too, you know. Court already gave me the green light. You’re out today.”

My stomach dropped.

“Today.. But it’s about to rain outside...”

“Rain ain’t my problem.” He jerked his chin toward the door. “Let’s go. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

I stood there for a second watching his sons haul out the last of my things.. a worn suitcase, two cardboard boxes and my old backpack. That was literally everything I owned in the world. Pathetic.

I blinked hard as I followed them out. The sky had turned dark gray, heavy with rain that hadn’t started falling yet. But I could smell it coming.

By the time we reached the sidewalk, the first fat drops hit my cheeks.

“Careful with that one!” I called out, rushing forward as one of the sons dropped my box a little too roughly. “My books are in there!”

They didn’t even look sorry. Just kept tossing my stuff onto the wet pavement like it was trash day.

The rain really started then... sudden and angry, pouring down in sheets.

I scrambled, shoving my books deeper into the backpack and covering it with my jacket.

Everything else got soaked in seconds. My clothes, my old mattress topper and even the cheap curtains I’d hung up to make that sad room feel less like a prison.

I didn’t know whether I was crying or not. The rain mixed with everything on my face anyway.

Once they moved off, I stood alone on the sidewalk, soaked to the bone, staring at my pathetic pile of belongings.

'Great. Just great, Lina. Top of the class in bad luck.'

I dragged everything under the concrete bridge two blocks away. It wasn’t much but at least it kept the worst of the rain off.

A few people had already claimed spots there... homeless guys with shopping carts and one lady talking to herself... but nobody bothered me.

I tucked my backpack with my books against the driest wall and sat beside it, hugging my knees.

Those books were the only things that still felt like mine.

Final year in college and I was fighting tooth and nail just to finish. Days were for classes and studying in the library. Nights were for the crappy diner job that paid just enough to keep me breathing... barely.

I pulled out my ancient flip phone... the one my classmates loved to tease me about... and stared at the cracked screen. Only one person I could contact right now.

My fingers moved on their own.

[Lina: Lexi… landlord finally did it. I’m out. Everything’s soaked under the bridge near Maple Street. I don’t even know what to do.]

I didn’t expect a fast reply but my phone buzzed almost immediately.

[Lexi: OMG Lina!! Are you serious?? Come crash at my place tonight. We’ll figure something out. Meet me later and we’ll talk properly. I’ll send address.]

Relief washed me so fast I almost laughed.

Lexi.

The only person I still trusted in this messed-up world. Everyone else either used me until I was empty or disappeared when I needed them. That’s why I kept guys at arm’s length, no matter how many tried. Being beautiful didn’t mean much when your life was this much of a disaster.

Another text came in.

[Lexi: Meet me at Eclipse Club downtown. 9pm. Don’t be late babe (a heart emoji)]

I groaned out loud.

“A club? Really, Lexi?”

Of all the places… I hated clubs. There were too loud with too many fake people and too easy to get stepped on.

But what choice did I have? It was either that or sleep under this bridge with my books as a pillow.

I waited until the rain slowed to a drizzle then changed into the only decent thing I owned... a simple secondhand red dress that hugged my slim figure just enough without screaming for attention.

My long dark wavy hair was still damp but I twisted it into a loose braid and hoped for the best with no makeup, no time and sadly, no money.

Before leaving, I called my boss and Lady Ophelia picked up on the second ring.

“Lina? You better be calling to say you’re early tonight.”

“Actually… I’m really sorry, ma’am. Something came up and I can’t make it tonight. My landlord just kicked me out and...”

“Excuse me?” Her voice shot up three octaves. “Girl, you gotta be kidding me right now! You know how short we are on staff and you pulling this mess? Hell nah!”

“I know, I’m sorry. It’s just...”

“Don’t ‘just’ me, Lina! I ain’t running no charity here. You think life hard for you? Try running this damn diner with lazy asses like you calling off every five minutes. I swear to God, if you ain’t here tomorrow, I’m cutting your pay in half. You hear me? Half!”

The line went dead before I could even respond.

I stared at the phone.

“Love you too, Ophelia,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

That woman don’t play about her business but damn.

By the time I reached Eclipse Club, the line was already snaking down the block.

I slipped past the bouncer after showing my ID, feeling completely out of place in my simple red dress among girls in glitter and sky-high heels.

The bass was so loud I felt it in my chest while colored lights flashed across sweaty bodies dancing like there was no tomorrow.

I pushed through the crowd scanning for Lexi’s familiar blonde head.

“Lexi?” I called, even though I knew she couldn’t hear me.

I squeezed between two guys and my foot caught on something. I stumbled forward, bumping hard into someone else with a force that could have tackled a weaker person to the ground.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” I said quickly, reaching out to steady myself.

Before I could pull back, a sharp pain stung my left cheek.

The slap was so sudden and hard that my head snapped to the side.

I gasped with my hand flying up to my stinging face.

“Do you even know who you just bumped into, bitch?” a high-pitched voice snarled.

I blinked through the shock and looked up at a tall, beautiful girl with perfectly straight platinum hair and a face twisted in disgust. She was already raising her hand to slap me again when….

“That’s enough now.”

The voice that interrupted was deep, calm and carried so much authority that

the girl froze mid-swing and her hand slowly lowered.

I turned toward the source of the voice and my breath immediately caught in shock....